Avid Pro Tools | Carbon Pre – 8-Channel Preamp

The Avid Pro Tools | Carbon Pre isn’t just for Pro Tools | Carbon – it can be used as a standalone 8-channel mic preamp or an expansion unit with an existing Pro Tools | HDX or HD Native system to scale up your I/O. Or replace an aging Pro Tools | PRE audio interface and enjoy better performance and pristine sound quality. Integrate up to nine (9) Carbon Pre interfaces with a single Pro Tools | HD system through your interface’s ADAT inputs, with the flexibility of remotely controlling and recalling all preamps right from Pro Tools.

Expand Your Studio

Get all the inputs you need for large tracking sessions and multi-mic live recordings. Each Pro Tools | Carbon Pre provides eight mic/line preamps and eight line outputs, enabling you to expand your Pro Tools | Carbon-based studio up to 24 mic/line inputs and 24 line outputs total. Two Hi-Z instrument inputs, 8 x 8 line I/O, ADAT I/O, and Word Clock I/O provide even more connection versatility. 

Sound Exceptional

Get impeccable sound quality across your entire system, from capture to output. With superior audio conversion, stacked ADCs, double resolution clocking, and our most transparent preamp design ever – the same preamps as in Pro Tools | Carbon – you can capture every sonic nuance of a performance with the greatest depth, dimension, and clarity. Even optimize or color the tone of any mic or instrument input with Variable Z impedance switching.

Speed Up Your Workflow

No need to access your interface to make changes. You can remotely control, save, and recall all of your preamp settings – including phantom power, gain, and impedance switching – directly in Pro Tools across all Pro Tools | Carbon-connected interfaces. And with instant session recall, courtesy of the virtual assistant, you can quickly switch between sessions without any manual setup and reconfiguration delay.

Extend Your Workflow Capabilities

With up to 24 channels available in an expanded system, you can capture live performances easily in pristine sound quality, making it an ideal companion for your next gig. You can also use Pro Tools | Carbon Pre as a standalone preamp, enabling you to use it to expand other systems. And because it’s EUCON-enabled, it integrates with Avid control surfaces for seamless recording and mixing control.

Expand An Existing Pro Tools | HD System

Got an existing Pro Tools system that needs more mic pres? Use Pro Tools | Carbon Pre as an 8-channel preamp expansion unit to scale up your I/O, with the flexibility of remotely controlling and recalling all preamps right from Pro Tools. Or replace an aging Pro Tools | PRE and enjoy better performance and pristine sound quality. Integrate up to nine Carbon Pres in a Pro Tools | HD system through your interface’s ADAT inputs.

Key Features And Benefits

• Expand Carbon
• 24 x 24 simultaneous I/O 
• 192 kHz / 32-bit conversion
• Get the ins and outs you need to build out your studio:
  • 8 mic/line preamps with Variable Z (impedance) on inputs 5-8
  • 2 Hi-Z instrument inputs
  • 8 x 8 line I/O (DB25)
  • 16 channels ADAT I/O
  • Word Clock I/O
  • 2 Ethernet ports
• Internal power supply
• AVB port for I/O expansion of Pro Tools | Carbon (sold separately)
• Standalone preamp operation
• Preamp control from Pro Tools

Specifications

• Simultaneous I/O: 24 x 24
• Audio Resolution: Up to 32-bit, 192 kHz
• Mic Preamps: 8
• Phantom Power: +48V
• Integrated Monitoring and Talkback: No
• Form Factor: 1U rack-mountable unit
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 45mm x 482mm x 343mm (1.8inches x 19inches x 13.5inches)
• Weight: 5kg (11lbs)
• Connectivity: 2 AVB Ethernet ports for Pro Tools | Carbon I/O expansion or host connection
• Maximum I/O Expansion: Pro Tools | Carbon supports up to two Pro Tools | Carbon Pre interfaces for up to 24 mic/line inputs and 24 line outputs
• INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
  • Analog Inputs:
    • 8 x balanced XLR/TRS mic/line inputs with Variable Z (impedance) on inputs 5-8, remote controllable from Pro Tools
    • 2 x unbalanced Variable Z 1/4-inch TS instrument inputs
    • 8 x balanced line inputs (DB25)
  • Analog Outputs: 8 x balanced line outputs (DB25)
  • Digital Inputs:
    • ADAT: 16 channels @ 44.1-48kHz, 8 channels @ 88.2-96kHz, 4 channels @ 176.4-192kHz
  • Digital Outputs:
    • ADAT: 16 channels @ 44.1-48kHz, 8 channels @ 88.2-96kHz, 4 channels @ 176.4-192kHz
  • Other I/O: Word Clock I/O
• A/D CONVERSION
  • Mic Preamps:
    • Dynamic Range: 126dB (A-weighted)
    • THD+N: -105dB (0.00056%)
    • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz, ±0.1dB
    • EIN: -129dB (A-weighted)
  • Line Inputs:
    • Dynamic Range: 125dB (A-weighted)
    • THD+N: -106dB (0.0005%)
    • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz, ±0.1dB
  • Line Inputs (True Bypass):
    • Dynamic Range: 126dB (A-weighted)
    • THD+N: -113dB (0.00022%)
    • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz, ±0.1dB
  • Instrument Inputs:
    • Dynamic Range: 125dB (A-weighted)
    • THD+N: -103dB (0.0007%)
    • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz, ±0.1dB
• D/A CONVERSION
  • Line Outputs:
    • Dynamic Range: 120dB (A-weighted)
    • THD+N: -110dB (0.0003%)
    • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20 kHz, ±0.1dB
  • Monitor Outputs: Nil
  • Headphone Outputs: Nil
• DSP ACCELERATION
  • HDX DSP: Nil

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